Emer O'Callaghan: I’m celebrating a beautiful 17 years

How do you know you’re getting old? When you hear yourself say lines like, ‘Oh my God, the years are flying by’.

That’s how I felt last week when we celebrated Emerald Beauty Clinic’s 17th birthday - I can’t believe how fast the years went.

I was only in my twenties when I decided to open on December 1, 2008, that day will be etched in my memory forever. It was the start of the worst recession this country had ever seem and everyone was telling me don’t do it, but I did do it.

And it was the best decision I have ever made.

I wanted to put down a marker for myself and offer clients quality. I use only the best skincare brands and I wanted to offer a higher standard, so that’s exactly what I did. From day one, every facial in my clinic has been 90 minutes.

I’ve been through a recession, a pandemic and a cost of living crisis now and I’m still trucking on.

I have huge self-belief, I think I got that from my home environment, being the youngest and only girl I was always the underdog up against the boys, always competing for something. I learned at a very young age to always back myself, back my abilities, and always give something a lash.

I am very driven and self-motivated, I can never understand people who need hand-holding for everything today, I just get the job done.

I believe in resilience and a strong work ethic, I take my hits but I get up fast, I never stay down long because this much I do know, as a woman in business, life is tough, but you have to be tougher.

I have no qualms in saying openly I am so very proud of my clinic and all we have achieved. Other women in business will relate to this when I say Emerald Beauty Clinic is my baby because, just like a child, you grow a business with love, dedication, and bloody hard work.

I run a tight ship and a great business and compete with no-one but myself, it’s me against me every day and that mindset has kept me going this far.

I have new, exciting treatments and things planned for 2026 in my clinic, I just keep pushing the bar up.

GRATEFUL FOR EVERY CLIENT

I am a firm believer that gratitude is the best attitude in life, I am a very positive person and I don’t entertain negativity, I have no space for that toxicity in my life.

I truly believe a warm welcome and some TLC is all so many want today. You know, even the mothers need mothering at times.

I take very good care of all of my clients and this is why I have them for so long. I am always grateful for their support and loyalty, and they know I care about them.

From the day I opened, I swore to myself I will never have a treatment, or a product in Emerald Beauty Clinic that I would not use on my own face, and that’s still my rule.

I truly believe that honesty, integrity and a passion for skin are the traits that have gotten me not just this far in business, but at a seat at some of the biggest skincare companies table in Europe.

I am often the only Irish representative speaking at these events and I do so to raise the bar more.

SELF-CARE MOVEMENT

Back in the pandemic, we beauticians were out of work and our clients were at their wits’ end with no access to treatments.

So I championed the self-care movement, I used my social media platform to get it up and going, and even did some work with RTÉ about it. Now everyone knows about self care and why we all need it.

Like every busy business lady, I too am over-stretched, I do daily lists for myself that are often a week’s work but I aim high always.

ONLINE CHALLENGES

Many people still have no idea that much of what is sold online is not the real thing. I did a beauty video on this recently you can see on the Emerald Beauty Clinic Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages.

There is a huge cohort of people under 40 who have never bought the correct skincare from us, the professional beauticians, but instead go online to buy the cheapest version, but what they don’t realise is they didn’t buy the real deal, all they bought was knock of copies.

This is why I am always saying to buy from your local beauticans as we only stock the real deals.

NATURAL BEAUTY MUST BE PRESERVED

I am a huge advocate for natural beauty, I have had no cosmetic work done to my face, no botox, no fillers, nothing, and I don’t want it either.

It is so disheartening for me to see so many plastic faces in Cork now, natural beauty is being destroyed and these big massive lips and frozen faces are everywhere, and it’s far from beautiful in my eyes.

Thankfully, the people who come to my do so because they know I am all about preserving natural beauty, and real women who are smart know that we, the experts, have some of the most advanced products of serums and facials that will take decades off you without the need of transforming your skin.

LOSING OUR BEAUTICIANS

Four beauty salons in Cork closed this November, all with over 15 years in business. The fact us beauticians have been left on the higher 23% vat and not been given the 9% rate the hairdressers will now get next year is one reason for this.

It’s never been so hard to be in business as it is today, our government needs to wake up fast because beauty services are vanishing.

Support your local beauticians if you want to keep their services.

OWED TO MY NAN

My Nan had such a positive effect on my life. She faced a lot of adversity herself but always made time every week to sit down alone and talk to me. We had the same sense of humour too.

She had great faith in me, the fact she called the boys hulks always made me laugh too. She had a saying - “we keep the bright side out always” - and I live by it, I do exactly as she did always. Thank you Nan.

THANK YOU ALL

Can I take this opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you to all my clients, many of whom are like dear friends to me now.

I take nothing for granted and I am so eternally grateful to each and every client who chooses Emerald Beauty Clinic.

It never feels like work to me, I love my job so much, I love seeing my clients and we are all journeying through this life together.

A special thank you also to all my dedicated Echo and Holly Bough readers, many of you have been my weekly readers for 17 years now too and I always love when ye stop me to tell me how much you enjoy the read.

At the end of the day, I’m just a girl who took a chance on a dream, and I thank God every day for every day I get to do this job I love so much.

• Emer O’Callaghan is a Beauty Doctor and Skin Specialist who won Irish Beauty Therapist of the year and works at Emerald Organic Beauty Products Ltd, trading as Emerald Beauty Clinic 021 4365949. A Multi Award Winning Gold Standard Clinic, 2008-2025, www.emeraldbeautyclinic.ie, follow us on Facebook/Instagram/TikTok.
• SPECIAL OFFER: To celebrate our 17th birthday, book any facial this month and get a complimentary eyebrow shape, heated hand treatment and goodie bag of samples all worth €45. Appointments necessary, to book call Emerald Beauty Clinic, 021 4365949. Free parking for clients.